The Darkness of Light (Chapter Extensions)

Chapter 10 Extension: (Alison)

I turn around walking back into the kitchen to find my mom reading the paper, and Mya playing out in the yard on my childhood swing set with my dad.  Emily's only going to be gone a few hours so I don't have a lot of time.

'Mom?  There's something kind of important I want to talk to you about.' 

I'm nervous to have this conversation with her, it's hard to gain any sort of approval.  She has not been a supporter of most of the decisions I've made in my life, and is not afraid to let me know when she disagrees.  In short, my mom's a snob.  Jack wasn't really up to her standard because he was a trade worker, and even the job I chose was beneath what she wanted for me.  Her opinion of Emily is likely already not good because she's a teacher, too.

She looked up from the paper, her curiosity piqued, making eye contact with me, 'Sure, what is it honey?'

I slid onto the chair across from her and just blurted, 'I need to know what you think of Emily.'

'It's pretty obvious that you're smitten with that girl.'

'Woman, mom,' I say challengingly, 'She's a woman.'

She waves her hand in dismissal of my correction, 'Your father and I haven't seen you like this since,' she's thinking now, a long pause hanging between us.  I know exactly what she's going to say.  'Well, since when you first brought Jack home.'

I knew it.  Jack.  Shit.

'Mom,' I sigh out heavily, 'I don't want to talk about Jack.  I want to have an honest discussion about Emily.'

Now mom is slowly sighing before she speaks next, 'I think I know what this is all about, but why don't you just tell me?'

I slid the engagement ring across the table, it's still wobbling a little before coming to rest in front of wide eyes, 'I see ...'

'That's not what I was expecting you to say.' 

She picked up the ring, studying it closely, 'This is obviously not something you just bought, it's very classic, expensive and engraved?' she said curiously, 'Who is CMF?'

'Catherine Marie Fields, her grandmother.  That was her engagement ring years ago.  I asked Wayne and Pam a few weeks ago for permission to propose, and they insisted I use this.  Apparently Emily has loved it ever since she was little.'

'It's breathtaking, Alison, truly.'

'There's a 'but' coming, I know you, mom.'

'But...'

'But what?!' I throw my hands up, this is not going how I pictured it.

'Alison, you're a grown woman, and I can't tell you how to live your life, but as your mother I really need to ask.  Aren't you rushing this with her? Why can't you wait?'

I sigh heavily yet again, 'Honestly? I've thought about that myself. About waiting.  But I don't want to.'

'We've heard some things since you moved away together. Your father and I really tried to just mind our own business when you started hanging around with Emily. You're not the only ones who were impacted by your choices.  We tried to ignore the circulating rumors, but now that you're asking what we think, then here it is.  Were you sleeping with Emily while you were still with Jack?'

'Mom, no! You have no idea what all transpired between me and Jack so don't even go there.'

'Fine. Then enlighten me on this one. Were you or were you not sleeping with Emily while she was engaged to Tom? The same Tom you were friends with?'